Most Schools Close Down Till Next Week

HURRICANE AFTERMATH - COPING

Officials Across Central Florida Want Time To Ensure Safety And Are Unsure About Makeup Days.

While school superintendents across Central Florida announced Tuesday that they will not reopen campuses until next week, it is not clear when -- or if -- students will make up more than a week of lost learning time.

On Tuesday, Seminole, Volusia and Osceola counties joined Polk in announcing that schools would not open until Monday -- 10 days after Hurricane Charley hit Florida. Students in Orange will not return until Tuesday.

Few schools sustained major damage. The most common problems have been power outages and debris.

In Seminole, only one school lacked power Tuesday, but district Superintendent Bill Vogel said he needed the extra time in part to make sure air conditioning, plumbing, communications and other systems worked. They will now have five days to make sure everything is OK. Power was out for four days.

Lake County schools are open.

The down time comes at a critical point, as local schools have been forced by state and federal governments to show academic progress or face losing everything from their reputation to resources.

No plans are yet in place for students to recoup the six to seven lost days of instruction.

When Vogel announced his plans Tuesday, he said state Education Chancellor Jim Warford had indicated Seminole and other counties might be able to waive the requirement that students get 180 days of instruction in the school year.

"We are going to look at each district individually," said Frances Marine, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Education. "Our priority is getting those students back in school, getting them any assistance they need."

If the state allows districts to forgo teaching students for the full 180 days, many students may continue to enjoy fall breaks and early dismissals on Wednesdays.

In Seminole, the school district plans to stick to its weeklong break in October because families could have travel reservations.

"Many have made plans a year in advance," Vogel said.

In Orange, Superintendent Ron Blocker said this week that he has been in contact with the state about concessions that education officials might grant districts hit by the hurricane. He said he would make a decision about the school calendar by the end of September.

Also, in Orange, private school Lake Highland Prep is scheduled to open Thursday.

While Central Florida students may miss days, students in dozens of Miami-Dade schools will get 10 more days of classes and an extra hour each school day, thanks to an initiative by Superintendent Rudy Crew to reclaim struggling schools.

In Osceola County, administrators decided Tuesday to keep schools closed the rest of the week after reviewing the district's 60-plus school buildings. They were concerned about continued power outages, school-bus safety and food inventory at school cafeterias, officials said.

Volusia schools will reopen for classes Monday, said Patricia Drago, the district's facilities director. As of Tuesday afternoon, power was back at all but 14 of 68 schools. But school and municipal officials worried that roads and sidewalks wouldn't be safe for students walking, riding bikes or waiting for buses before Monday, Drago said.

"We were concerned about children being on sidewalks with tons of debris," she said.